7 Reasons to Visit Brazil with Llama Travel

1. Build the Holiday You Want

Travelling to Brazil promises a wonderful taste of Latin America’s vibrancy, but you may choose to extend your stay with a visit to another nearby country to get a greater sense of the region’s cultural, historical and geographical diversity.

With Llama Travel’s choice of extensions, you could combine your holiday to Brazil with Argentina, Chile, or Peru. Whether you want to visit Machu Picchu, feel the spray of Iguazu Falls, or come face-to-face with the enigmatic Moai statues on Easter Island, the variety of experiences that you can combine with is almost endless.

Along with that choice of extensions, you can add a choice of excursions, from a full-day tour of Rio de Janeiro to a half-day tour dedicated to one of the city’s most picturesque neighbourhoods.

2. Small Groups

At Llama Travel, our groups average just 11 people, with a maximum of 18, making it easier to get around and enjoy each experience without feeling rushed. Smaller groups really make a difference, whether you’re exploring the colourful streets of Rio de Janeiro or making the most of your guide’s expertise whilst visiting Iguazu Falls.

3. Feel the energy of lively Rio de Janeiro

Rio is a modern city in a stunning location, with beautiful bays, hills rolling into the ocean and tropical beaches. Portuguese sailors first arrived at what is now Rio in January 1502. Thinking that the bay was the mouth of an enormous river, they named the place January River – Rio de Janeiro. However, the area was not populated until the 1550s, when the French established a garrison, and the city was not founded by the Portuguese until the following decade. The city grew rapidly, and with the discovery of gold in nearby Minas Gerais, Rio really started to prosper.

Brazil declared independence in 1822 and was a monarchy until 1889, when it became a republic. Rio remained the capital until 1960, when the capital was moved to the new city of Brasilia. Throughout this period, Rio grew rapidly as a commercial centre, and a tunnel linking the centre to Copacabana opened in 1892, as the city expanded. Many colonial buildings were torn down as the city was remodelled with grand avenues, parks and buildings.

Rio de Janeiro is now one of Latin America’s liveliest cities, famous for its vibrant samba culture and annual carnival. The nearby beaches and Tijuca National Park add a unique dimension to the colourful streets, overlooked by the famous Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Mountain.

Rio de Janeiro is one of Latin America's liveliest cities.

4. Combine your holiday with Argentina 

Due to their proximity, Argentina is perhaps the most obvious destination to combine with a holiday to Brazil. Their similarly lively cities, storied histories and gorgeous landscapes complement each other very well.

Combining Argentina with Brazil on our ‘Samba, Tango & Iguazu Falls’ tour bookends your holiday with stays in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, two of Latin America’s most celebrated cities. You can enjoy an optional Tango Dinner Show in Buenos Aires at the start of your tour and dance the Samba in Rio de Janeiro as your holiday draws to a close.

As you cross the border between the two countries, you will be able to visit Iguazu Falls, a series of over 270 waterfalls stretching over 1.5 miles through sub-tropical greenery. A trail walk includes several vantage points with amazing views over the Falls. The Devil’s Throat waterfall, where several waterways converge over a sheer drop and rainbows form amidst the spray, is a particular highlight.

5. Feel the spray of Iguazu Falls

If you combine your holiday to Brazil with a visit to Argentina, as you cross the border between the two countries, you will be able to visit Iguazu Falls, a series of over 270 waterfalls stretching over 1.5 miles through sub-tropical greenery. A trail walk includes several vantage points with amazing views over the Falls. The Devil’s Throat waterfall, where several waterways converge over a sheer drop and rainbows form amidst the spray, is a particular highlight.

Our holidays are designed to ensure both sides of the Falls can be experienced; the Brazilian side has more impressive panoramic vistas, while the Argentinean side gets you closer to the spray of the Falls and includes a greater network of waterways in and around the Falls.

A vast network of walkways allow you to get great views of Iguazu Falls.

6. Visit Paraty & the Emerald Coast or the Pantanal Wetlands

Adding our ‘Colonial Paraty’ extension to your holiday adds another dimension to your time in Brazil. A 4-hour journey from Rio de Janeiro brings you to the charming colonial town, surrounded by lush green vegetation and sparkling blue waters.

The town itself dates back to 1597 during the Portuguese rule; the architecture of the old town - including its car-free cobbled streets - is perfectly preserved from that era. In the 17th century, the Portuguese used it to transport gold back to Portugal. With the increasing threat of pirates, they soon began bypassing Paraty, and the town began losing its importance, hence why the centre remains so intact today. Nowadays, the town centre is pedestrianised, making it a relaxing complement to lively Rio.

You can explore the maze of cobblestone streets, take a schooner boat to admire the coastline and visit one of the nearby beaches or waterfalls. Quiet cobbled streets are traversed by horse-drawn carriages and lined with pretty buildings which are characterised by brightly-coloured doors and window frames. The scenic harbour area has a great ambience with schooner boats and fishing boats bobbing on the water, and small cafes lining the streets.

One of the most unique things about Paraty is that the pavements are built a foot above the streets, which are flooded during high tide due to the town’s position below sea level. Known as ‘Brazil’s Venice’, Paraty becomes a surreal scene of photogenic buildings being reflected into the water when the tide rolls in.

Paraty is known as 'Brazil's Venice'.

As well as Paraty, you could add a stay in the Pantanal Wetlands to your holiday. The Pantanal, which covers an area estimated at 75,000 square miles, is the largest wetland on earth. It has an incredibly rich biodiversity and is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Around 80% of the wetland falls within Brazil’s borders, contained in the large states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul in the country’s central interior.  

The Pantanal’s main tourist draw is the excellent chance of seeing a large variety of wildlife at close quarters. The skies above the Pantanal are filled with the chirp of birdsong from dawn until dusk. There are endemic and near-endemic species, such as the chestnut-billed guan. The flightless greater rhea is the largest bird in South America and can often be found roaming the open, grassy fields. There are some 10 million caimans in the Pantanal, and these silent, disconcertingly motionless creatures are seen at close quarters, both on land and in the water. This species inhabits Central and South America, growing to up to 4 metres in length. The yellow anaconda also populates the Pantanal, although these are more difficult to spot. The Brazilian tapir is the largest mammal in the Pantanal, and the second largest land mammal in South America (after the Baird’s tapir). The best time to see the tapir is at night, when it feeds on fruit trees. Land mammals seen on the open plains include peccaries, marsh deer, giant and collared anteaters, armadillos and foxes. Marmosets, howler, capuchin and night monkeys all populate the area.

7. Speak to an Expert

Many of our in-house Travel Experts have visited Brazil themselves, and are happy to share their experiences with you when curating your holiday. Contact us at 020 7263 3000 to speak to one of them today or order a brochure here to explore our full range of holidays.